Former Trinidad Coach Ray takes over successful Red Devil program

Published 2:48 pm, Friday, August 23, 2013

Ranken football head coach Kevin Ray talks to his players during "Midnight Madness" practice Friday. James Durbin/Reporter-Telegram FOR SPORTS BLOG 8-9-13

Ranken football head coach Kevin Ray talks to his players during "Midnight Madness" practice Friday. James Durbin/Reporter-Telegram FOR SPORTS BLOG 8-9-13

Photo: JAMES DURBIN

Former Trinidad Coach Ray takes over successful Red Devil program

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Even from 450 miles away, Kevin Ray said it was hard not to notice what was taking place at Rankin the past two years.

That’s why, even after notching his 200th career win last season at Trinidad, his ninth as the Trojans’ head coach, Ray jumped at the opportunity to coach the two-time defending champion of Six-Man Division I, District 5.

And while nearly all of the players that led Rankin to its past two district titles are gone -- not to mention coach Shannon Williams, whose teams improved in the win column each season -- Ray and his players are excited to prove that the Red Devils’ legitimacy as state title contenders didn’t walk out the door with its senior class.

“(Our players have to) believe that they can become the core, the frontline guys, and (that they can) play at that level,” Ray said, “because we’ve got the talent to do it.”

That talent starts with senior Aaron Castillo, a Defensive MVP and all-state first-teamer as a linebacker and an All-District 5 first-teamer as a fullback.

Junior J.R. Rodriguez also earned first-team honors as a running back and a defensive lineman last season as the District 5 Newcomer of the Year, while his brother, Michael, was a first-team kicker.

And that list doesn’t include mainstays such as senior Kutter Wright, a returning starter on the offensive line, and move-ins suh K.O. Ray, who started at quarterback for Trinidad as a sophomore in 2012, and Jamie Jameson, a starting linebacker for Motley County last year.

“(The move-ins are) going to help us a lot,” Wright said. “We’ve got a good quarterback coming up, K.O. Ray, and (Josiah) Exum playing end. Jamie Jameson, he’s going to be a big key in our backfield on offense.”

Because of the wealth of talent ready to step up and replace players like 2012 District 5 Offensive MVP Dalton Michum, now at Angelo State, Kevin Ray and Castillo agreed that the biggest challenge will be off the field and not on it.

“I feel if we just do work, just handle everything, with hard work comes results,” Castillo said, “and with results we can be back district champions and make our way to the state title.”

Castillo, for one, has taken it upon himself to ensure that the Red Devils aren’t short of motivation.

Hardly the vocal leader in the past, Castillo has piped up on and off the field, offering encouragement to his teammates as they transition to the rigorous conditioning and footwork training required by Ray.

“It’s just something that I thought I’d have to step up in the summer. During my training and stuff I just figured I’d have to push the guys,” Castillo said. “The first day I saw everybody, and I figured I might as well push them because that’s what real leaders do -- they don’t only better themselves, they better their teammates.”

Ray said the Red Devils’ work ethic immediately jumped out to him and has made the transition a smooth one for both sides.

It also helps that Ray runs the same offense, the J-Set, and defense, 4-2, that Williams ran before him.

Ray said there are subtle differences in what the two coaches do out of the J-Set, but the biggest difference is simply terminology.

The health of defensive lineman Logan Templeton is also a potential hurdle, as Templeton has yet to be cleared for contact after knee surgery in the offseason.

But Ray said Templeton is coming along well -- he was running with the team at the start of two-a-days -- and if/when he returns he will give the Red Devils an additional boost up front.

With all the reinforcements ready to step up in place of the leaders from last year, Ray doesn’t see why his first season at Rankin can’t be a continuation of the last two, when the Red Devils advanced to the area round in 2011 and the state quarterfinals in 2012.